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Name: McDONELL, Arnold Butler 'A.B.'

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Nee: brother of Ronald William and George Malcolm McDonell

Birth Date: 17.10.1872 Forest Gate, London

Death Date: 11.6.1970 Limuru

First Date: 1906

Last Date: 1970

Profession: Farmer, coffee, flax, wattle, geraniums, tea. Also did beautiful wood carving, such as the gargoyles at the ends of the beams in Brackenhurst dining hall, in the hall of Limuru Girls School & supports of communion rail Limuru Church.

Area: Kiambethu, Limuru, designed & built Limuru Church, buried at Limuru.

Married: In Limuru 1908 Agnes Evelyn Harriott Lillingston b. 2 Feb 1877 Broxbourne, d. 17 Mar 1963 Limuru

Children: Evelyn (Mitchell) (1 July 1909-1998); Mary Grace (Russell) (7 Feb 1913 Limuru-2003) and twin Edith (Harvey) (7 Feb 1913 Limuru-2006); Violet Agnes 'Judy' (14 May 1914 Limuru-1969)

Book Reference: Gillett, SE, HBEA, Verandah, KAD, Red 25, Hut, EAMR, Drumkey, Red 22, Stud, Land, Burke, Nicholls, EAHB 1907, Barnes, Red Book 1912

War Service: WW1 with EAMR - C Sqdn. 14/9/14 - 19/12/14

General Information:

SE - A.B. McDonnell - July 1907 Founded Limuru Girls School in 1922. EA Standard Dec. 9th 1993 - 'The dawn of Limuru Girls Remembered' - ...... In his early days he used to ride a bicycle down to Nairobi to play soccer, and then bicycle back to Limuru again, about 20 miles uphill, to an altitude of 7,200 ft. On the way back he used to stop for a whisky, to help him cycle those last miles home. A.B. went to a forest station about 12 miles from their farm and acquired a team of oxen, and with these oxen he dragged logs for sleepers for the railway line.
In 1908 A.B. went to Mombasa to meet his future wife who had sailed out. The ships came into Kilindini harbour through the channel at Likoni, and passengers got in rowboats to go ashore. The ship arrived early in the morning and A.B. was the second person on board. He brought his bride-to-be ashore and was anxious to get the wedding over before she could change her mind. It is believed she wore her wedding attire, a gorgeous wedding dress and hat with ostrich feathers. They were stuck in Mombasa, with only rickshaws for transport. Despite losing a wheel, the rickshaw got them to the church on time.
They eventually boarded a train and chugged to Limuru. There they should have got off and walked to a shack in the forest, but they politely said to the engine driver,

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